Jogger gets a jolt from a protective mother elk

There’s a reason active people tend to be dog owners. Whether you love hiking through the woods or jogging along a riverbank pathway, having a dog in tow (or, more likely, towing you) keeps your motivation from flagging.

And it’s not just their enthusiasm for a good run that makes them good workout buddies—add a protective mother elk to the mix, and you’ll be running faster and farther than you ever thought possible.

Case in point is the above video from Colorado’s Evergreen Lake. According to Diane Fiedler, who uploaded the video, the aggressive mother elk was watching over her calves on the nearby island, and she was keen to keep the pup clear of her offspring.